KRAFTON Inc. Chairman Byung Gyu Chang met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the South Korean gaming company’s long-term operational plans in India.
The discussion centered on expanding investments across the nation’s gaming, technology, and digital entertainment sectors, reflecting broader bilateral cooperation between India and the Republic of Korea.
The meeting highlighted mutual interests in advancing digital infrastructure and innovation, aligning with the Indian government’s “Create in India, Create for India, Create for the World” initiative and the wider “Viksit Bharat” development agenda.
Investment and Expansion Plans
KRAFTON outlined its financial trajectory in the Indian market, focusing on digital media, startup support, and deep-technology integration:
- Capital Deployment: Having invested $250 million to date, KRAFTON committed an additional $250 million over the next three to four years, bringing its projected direct investment to roughly $500 million.
- Venture Growth Fund: The company established a $670 million venture growth fund aimed at backing high-potential startups within India’s digital ecosystem.
- Sector Diversification: Capital allocations will extend beyond conventional game development into emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and deep-tech applications.
Talent Development and Intellectual Property
The discussions also addressed local talent cultivation and domestic production capabilities. KRAFTON highlighted two recent developments designed to strengthen India’s developer pipeline:
- KIGI Academy: An industry-academia training initiative intended to equip students and developers with technical skills in game development and interactive media creation.
- Studio Acquisitions: The strategic acquisition of Nautilus Mobile, a Pune-based game development studio responsible for the Real Cricket mobile franchise, reinforcing KRAFTON’s pipeline for domestic intellectual property (IP).
The engagement underscores a sustained corporate strategy to integrate local talent and regional development studios into global production networks, positioning India as a hub for interactive software and IP development.
Regarding this, Byung Gyu Chang, Chairman of KRAFTON Inc, said:
India is a market of immense opportunity, with exceptional talent across gaming, technology and innovation. Our continued investments reflect our long-term confidence in India and our commitment to contributing to its digital economy. Through our investments, skill-development initiatives and focus on emerging technologies, we look forward to working alongside India’s growing community of creators, developers and entrepreneurs to build globally relevant experiences and technologies.